JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 23, 2025) - Author Douglas Adams once wrote that the meaning of life, the universe, and everything is "forty-two."

For the ETSU men's basketball team, 42 also means comprehensive victory.

The Bucs hammered Louisiana-Monroe 97-55 to close out the ETSU MTE presented by Abundant Christian Living Community on Sunday. The 42-point victory is their first win by 40 or more points against a Division I opponent since January 13, 2018, against VMI, and their largest margin of victory against a Division I opponent since January 5, 2017, at The Citadel. 

The Buccaneers (5-1) lost the opening tipoff but got a stop against the Warhawks (1-6) on their first possession, and Cam Morris III put them in front for good 1:16 into the game with a double pump-fake layup to open the scoring. 

Leading 15-12 with 13:31 to go in the first half, Jaylen Smith and Maki Johnson hit back-to-back threes from the right side 34 seconds apart. Brian Taylor II followed with a triple with 10:29 left to put ETSU up 24-15, and Smith hit Jordan McCullum for a fast-break layup 27 seconds later to put ETSU up by double digits to stay.  

Those baskets were the front end of a 10-0 ETSU run capped by a Gabe Sisk block, defensive rebound, and an and-one fast break layup that Sisk converted into a three-point play all in the same sequence. The run extended to 18-2 when Sisk scored again on a two-on-one fast break with Morris, followed by a three from Maki Johnson and another three from Taylor with 5:00 remaining to the break that had the Buccaneers out of sight at 42-22 en route to their fourth straight victory. 

Four Bucs scored in double figures led by Smith's 15 points while Strothers, Taylor, and Brayden Crump scored 10 points each. Morris, Sisk, and Johnson had nine apiece, and Blake Barkley had eight. Strothers led ETSU with five rebounds and had four assists while Smith led the team in helpers with five.

As a team, ETSU shot 59% from the field and 46% from three-point range with a season-high 11 makes from beyond the arc. The Bucs dominated the paint 42-24 and scored 21 points off 13 ULM turnovers. They likewise dominated the glass, out-rebounding ULM 42-25 with 11 offensive rebounds on 28 opportunities and 15 second chance points. The team's 24 assists on 39 field goals are the most since they tallied 25 against VMI on January 1. 

The Bucs will resume action after the Thanksgiving holiday on Saturday against Central Arkansas at Freedom Hall. Tipoff is set for 4:00pm and tickets are available at ETSUTickets.com. 

For more information on ETSU men's basketball, go to ETSUBucs.com.